Should I Use Retinol In My Skin Care?

There is a lot of hype around the use of Retinol within Beauty and Skin Care products. I wanted to highlight some benefits in addition to introduce the level of commitment that comes with using Retinol and an alternative ingredient called Bakuchiol that does not have the same side effects as using Retinol. So let's get into what is Retnoil and the actual benefits and side effects of using it.

What is Retinol?

Retinol is not prescribed Retinoids. Retinol is the strongest over the counter version of Retinoids on the market. It is a good solution to many skin concerns, however, it does come with a lot of possible negative side effects.

Some Benefits of Retinol:

-help prevent acne flare ups

-improves overall tone and texture of skin

-improves areas of concern with hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and sun damage

-targets fine lines and wrinkles

Negative Side effects of using products with Retinol:

-using for extended periods of time on your skin will cause your skin to become adapt to the ingredient and it will lose its effectiveness over time

-burning/irritation to your skin

-can cause dermatitis

What is Bakuchiol?

Bakuchiol is a plant based anti-inflammatory antioxidant that also has antibacterial properties that help to resolve skin concerns like fine lines and wrinkles, skin irritants, and address other signs of aging within the skin.

Benefits of Bakuchiol:

-can be used either day or night.

-it targets fine lines and wrinkles

-helps to reduce the appearance of large pores

-helps with smoothing out skins texture

(It is not derived via Vitamin A which gives it its competive edge to products that contain retinol)

Negative side effects of using products with Bakuchiol:

.... none that I could find. I only see that it is unclear if it is as highly effective as using retinol over time. It is effective in solving skin concerns but the use of it is not as effective as using a Retinol or Retinoid derived from vitamin A.

Where you can find good products that use Bakuchiol:

-Beekman 1802 - Dream Booster Bakuchiol beta-retinol serum

-OleHenriksen - Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Cream

-Good Molecules Bakuchiol Oil Blend (separate oils for both Oily and Dry skin types)

As usual I hope this helps someone on their beauty journey to begin to understand how to best choose products for themselves that will work and be effective without the hassle of overspending money on various products and not have to lose time with the research on all the beauty products available on the market. Until next time, be a well, stay safe, and do your best to be loving to yourself and others. Find a way to enjoy the weekend and try a self care practice that helps to make you feel good!